No soap or shampoo?

[skydove]

Here's some Natural Deodorants and bits about body odour and sweat I found on the net, lots of good remedies here to try.

Folk Remedies
* Alcohol/witch hazel. Wipe your armpits with alcohol, white vinegar or witch hazel instead of deodorant.
* Alum. (NOTE Not aluminum!) Try using a crystal rock made from the mineral salt potassium alum instead of a deodorant. It won't keep you dry as an antiperspirant will, but antiperspirants clog your sweat glands and contain aluminum chlorohydrate, which may lead to future health problems.
* Apple cider vinegar. Apple cider vinegar eliminates under arm body odor when used in place of deodorant because it reduces the pH of the skin. Bacteria can't live in areas with low pH.
* Baby powder. Use baby powder or talc in areas of heavy perspiration.
* Baking soda. Baking soda, the odor-eating standby, can be used instead of deodorant. Just apply the powder to your dry armpits. It will kill bacteria and help absorb perspiration. Cornstarch can also be used instead or mixed with the baking soda.
* Parsley/alfalfa. Chewing parsley, alfalfa and other leafy greens will help neutralize body odor, probably because of the deodorizing effect of the chlorophyll.
* Radishes. Juice about two dozen radishes, add 1/4 teaspoon of glycerine, and put in a squirt or spray-top bottle. Use as an underarm deodorant or to reduce foot odor.
* Rosemary is an antibacterial herb. Put 8 to 10 drops of the essential oil in 1 ounce of water and appy it where needed.
* Sage. Herbalists suggest drinking a cup of sage tea daily to reduce sweat gland activity. This is especially true for those who perspire excessively due to tension. Use 11/2 teaspoonsful of dried sage or two tea bags in one cup of water; steep for ten minutes; drink in small doses throughout the day. Fresh sage leaves blended with tomato juice has been found to be very effective.
* Tea tree is an antibacterial herb. Make a deodorant by putting 2 drops of the essential oil into 1 ounce of water and apply where needed.
* Towelettes (baby wipes). Useful when a tense moment surges the sex hormones which produce fluid under the arms and around the genital areas that, when combined with bacteria, causes odor.
* Turnip juice. Turnip juice will reduce underarm odor for up to 10 hours. Grate a turnip, squeeze the juice through cheesecloth, so that you have two teaspoonsful. Wash your armpits first, and vigorously rub one teaspoonful on each one.
* Wheat grass. Take 500mg of wheat grass daily on an empty stomach and wash down with a glass of water. The chlorophyll will dramatically reduce body odor.

Conventional wisdom suggests that perspiration is the cause of body odor. However, perspiration by itself is basically odorless, but it is the bacteria and odors coming from other sources that are the real culprits.

Please note that it is extremely important to obtain an accurate diagnosis before trying to find a cure. Many diseases and conditions share common symptoms: if you treat yourself for the wrong illness or a specific symptom of a complex disease, you may delay legitimate treatment of a serious underlying problem. In other words, the greatest danger in self-treatment may be self-diagnosis. If you do not know what you really have, you can not treat it!

Anaerobic bacteria, which flourish when your body doesn't have enough oxygen, may well be the cause of your body odor. As the body's metabolism goes to work, it gives off odors which is the body's way of ridding itself of waste products. Any imbalances in metabolism will result in stronger odors.

Waste products can also be the result of toxins that accumulate in our bodies. In today's world we are bombarded with toxins in our homes, food, and air that accumulate in the body when the organs of elimination cannot dispose of them. The liver and intestines may be clogged up, causing odors to emanate from the body. In this case, a thorough detoxification program that cleanses the liver, kidneys and colon may be useful.

Dietary imbalances, resulting in constipation or a deficiency of magnesium or zinc may be other causes of body odor. Because of different body chemistries, some people who eat large quantities of meat or who are vegetarians have a very distinctive body odor which can be quite offensive. Some individuals cannot metabolize foods containing large amounts of choline, such as eggs, fish, liver and legumes. The result is a "fishy" smell. If you are one of these people, cut out these products and see if this is the cause of your odor. Certain foods and drinks, such as onions, garlic, curry, certain spicy foods, coffee and alcohol, are also prime causes. Fried and baked goods may contain rancid fats and oils that lead to body odor.

Sweat glands (apocrine glands) under the arms and in the groin secrete a substance that is the major non-food/drink related cause of body odor. This substance, which contains protein, carbohydrates and lipids, is often secreted by a surge in sex hormones caused by tense moments or emotional stress. It is then quickly attacked by bacteria, causing odor.

Some other possible cause of body odor:

* Kidney disease
* Liver disease
* Fungal infections
* Refined sugar (feeds bacteria and fungus on the skin)

[Elhonna]

Hi everybody !

I've read this topic from the beginning not one month ago, and finally the idea developped here made its path through my mind.
I was already highly interested in not using shampoo anymore, and I did it ! Or at least I began one week ago. I used to wash my hair twice a week, so I just stopped and decided to see what would happen to them. Instead, I brush them in the morning and once again before going to bed, slowly, from the top to the end. For now they're just a little bit greasy (which I know is normal), but not too much yet.
Hope it will work... I'll tell you here later if I stand the test or not.

[Corwen]

Good luck Elhonna, I hope it works out for you.

[Bailey]

Very good thread.
I agree with you that if you have much dandruff in your head
then you should avoid all kind of soaps but try to use any good brand's
shampoo on your head, hope you will be get good result after 1 month.

[Aigeann]

Welcome to the Board, Bailey.

Hope you enjoy your stay with us.

Blessings, Aigeann

[Elhonna]

2 weeks now without shampoo...my hair is still greasy, even with the daily brush, but it seems to be in a stable condition now. However, I can live with it much better than I expected. I go to the university with a black headscarf which gives me a certain style after all , so until now nobody seems to point me out, except to say "Hey cool your new style !" which always makes me laught.
I'm considering rinsing my hair with water only during a shower, but I fear to loose what I've acquired.

So my question is : when do you think I could possibly wash or rinse my hair for the first time ?
I know I have to found the good rythm after a period of regulating, but I wonder when it will end (if only it has begun...).

[katie bridgewater]

2 weeks now without shampoo...my hair is still greasy, even with the daily brush, but it seems to be in a stable condition now. However, I can live with it much better than I expected. I go to the university with a black headscarf which gives me a certain style after all , so until now nobody seems to point me out, except to say "Hey cool your new style !" which always makes me laught.
I'm considering rinsing my hair with water only during a shower, but I fear to loose what I've acquired.

So my question is : when do you think I could possibly wash or rinse my hair for the first time ?
I know I have to found the good rythm after a period of regulating, but I wonder when it will end (if only it has begun...).

Good on you Elhonna! 2 weeks is something to be proud of! Headscarves are great - and I always smile to myself when people compliment my hair these days, because they just never guess the real reasons for anything!

I don't think you would undo the work by rinsing in water - it just might change the state of your hair and sometimes if you get greasy hair wet it feels a bit sticky afterwards, and just needs to settle. I guess if you have the headscarf-style thing to fall back on, you could just try the shower and see. You have nothing to lose really - it's all a joyful experiment and everyone is different.

As for when it will end, it's hard to predict. I guess you just have to keep going and see what happens. It usually gets worse before it gets better, and people who are successful say anything from 3 weeks to 3 months. If you have long hair, then the brushing will help move the oils down the hairs, but if you have shorter hair, there is less surface for the oils to spread out so it might be more dramatic while you make the transition.

Hang on in there if you can - if you can master shampoo free living, then the words 'because I'm worth it' will mean so much more to you!

[Elhonna]

Thank you for the quick answer Katie !
Well, I'll wait one more week just in case, and then rinse them. I'm not really impatient and I finally enjoy shorter showers. Besides, my hair is middle-back long so it takes a long time (especially with this weather outside) to dry...but at least the oil has somewhere to go !
I'll tell you soon how I manage ('cause I'm sure I will do it !) to live without shampoo anymore .

[Islamicelt]

Idk....I couldnt get rid of my shampoo or soap. Instead of completely ditching it, I went for more natural brands like Kiss My Face.

And headscarves are pretty awesome for your hair. I've been wearing the hijab for years and my hair is always super healthy now. It lost all natural highlights (which is kinda sad) but there's no wind damage or sun damage at all. I almost never need to go in to get it trimmed anymore since I dont have any split ends. I certainly do miss the feeling of the wind in my hair but, whatever. I do what I gotta do.

[Silverleaf_Willow]

I have been following this thread since Plaidcat opened the topic two years ago. I have read all of the comments, positive and negative, an have made several changes to my routine based on what has been shared by the people who posted comments.

My first change was to go to a pure ingredient shampoo and conditioner from the health food store. These bottles were a bit high in the price range but not as much as some sold by higher end hair salons. These two bottles of product lasted me the first year as I normally only wash my hair once a week. Washing my hair once a week was part of the routine from my childhood; bath water was heated on the stove and with three children and two adults in the house, bath day was a time consuming chore. In the warmer months when children are more apt to get, dirty, muddy etc, we were sent to the lake to swim or the river to rinse off. Of course, this was what I call "clean dirt", we weren't exposed to chemicals or other "dirty" products.

I began my experiment by decreasing the amount of shampoo and rinse that I used each time I washed my hair and by increasing the amount of time between washes.
After the shampoo and conditioning rinse bottles were empty, I made several attempts to go product free over the next year but usually only made it for two or three weeks before feeling that I needed a proper 'sudsing'.
I have previously posted my concerns about being able to wash off the chemical products that I am exposed to at work and continue to look for ways to do so effectively. I have lessened my exposure by wearing clothing that covers me, long pants and long-sleeved shirts to work which also lessens my need for sunscreen (another chemical soup that I am leery of). I braid my hair and pin it under my hat to lessen the amount of dirt and debris that will come home in it. During the work week I shower rather than bath to rinse any residue off of my skin instead of soaking in it.

I have had several false starts, the last being when I attended a blacksmith event at a friend's house. Finishing the day wearing quite a bit of soot and metal debris and the like, I was facing the prospect of sleeping in my host's guest bed with white sheets. Sigh. I borrowed the shower and used the generic shampoo and rinse that my host provided for me. And spent the next week trying to get past the burning and itching caused by the products.
Since then, I have discovered that if necessary, a quick soak and massage with a small amount of baking soda (1/4 cup added to a full bath tub of water) and adding a bit of apple cider vinegar to the final rinse will get my hair clean and oil free without the nasty chemical burn I've only resorted to the baking soda and vinegar twice in the last two months and am enjoying my no-shampoo hair.

Although my scalp tends to produce a bit more oil during certain times during my menstrual cycle, I have noticed several improvements in the health of my hair; less split ends, less frizz, less breakage (I have always had super-fine hair that broke easily), and my hair looks and feels thicker (probably because it's not stripped by chemicals}.
And the only comments I get on my hair is on how nice it looks
Thank you Plaidcat for starting this thread and for everyone who has posted their comments and experiences to it!

[NovaStar]

I've also read my way through the whole of this thread - it's brilliant!

My hair looks terrible without styling as having it flat to my head really doesn't suit me (it's pretty short). That said, since reading this I've switched to just using a natural styling spray and wash it twice a week, basically rinsing it through and then washing just the ends with a tiny amount of 'natural' shampoo (I'd use a castile soap on my hair if the water wasn't so hard - I use an olive oil soap on my skin instead). My hair feels SO much cleaner, bouncier and natural. Might look into installing a water softener at some point...

[Kima]

I spent most of yesterday evening reading this thread and I'm intrigued. I have very fine flat long hair that quickly becomes noticeably greasy, so I'm a little worried about going without shampoo and moving through the "disaster" phase. I'll try and if it's too much, wash progressively less often. My boyfriend is a bit of a hygene freak and washes his hair at least once a day! I'll hide it from him I already use next to nothing on my skin apart from natural moisturizer (creams and oils) and have decided to go further with this by brushing my skin more and showering less, which to an extent is what I've been doing for a long time. It's just that since I've moved to the city, I feel more grubby and my hair suffers from it. I've been washing it every other day which only makes it go greasy even faster. Time to act!

Look what I've found: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7yrz8y8 ... r_embedded

[Duellist]

I still use shampoo, but I have cut back on how often since I first saw this thread. I managed to go from once every two days, with my hair feeling awful by day two, to washing it twice a week and not feeling quite so desperate to wash it. Even my wife commented that she is jealous that I can go 4 days between hair-washing, when she has my old issue of needing to wash it every other night and sometimes only going a day and a half before feeling dirty. We both bathe every night, so it is just our hair.

One issue I had was that by the end of day four, it felt like a needed to shampoo and rinse twice before it felt clean. It was hard to do, but I stopped the second shampoo a fortnight ago and realised that my hair suddenly felt like I had used conditioner. It got greasy a little faster, but I held out and it seems able to go four days between washes again. I am not ready for 'cold turkey' yet, but I think I will let my hair get used to my current regime before stretching to once every five days, maybe try six and then a week.

I think I might need a new brush, but I am a little nervous of getting it wrong. Something with soft, natural if possible, bristles based on what I have seen here. Is there a good example anyone could link to? I don't mean to ask for the "one true brush" I should buy, but it might be nice to have a link to a couple of good brushes so I can get a feel for what is important.

[Elhonna]

A little update now... More than 6 weeks after beginning to stop using shampoo, the only thing I can say is "Yeeesss !' .

I washed my hair twice at the beginning with water only, but decided to stop for a month, just to see... Well, they became greasy (even very greasy) in one week long, but then the sebum production stopped and I was able to spread the oil on my whole hair until now without looking like a mess.

I'm now considering adopting a little routine, but I'm a bit nervous about it. Rinsing my hair every week with water is okay, but what about using apple vinegar, or herbs infusion ? I think about rosmarin and thyme, which could help me with my dandruff problem (it reduced a lot since the beginning of my experiment but didn't entirely disappeared, surely because of the stress and rythm of my current life), because they are easy to find and use here. Would these three ingredients have any bad impact on my hair, especially the vinegar ?

To answer to Duellist, I use a round brush with wild boar bristle, since I already had it at home. I'm not sure it's a good one, but at least it's natural, and not very expensive.

[Kima]

I'm ready for the experiment! I've bought a new boar bristle brush (the one I already have is at least 10 years old), a baby brush with wood fiber, a couple of second-hand headscarves in case it goes a bit wrong, and apple cider vinegar in case of an emergency (I have to have clean hair for Christmas, for instance). If it's too much I'll have an occasional vinegar rinse until I'm ready to go the whole way. I'm already very worried about the first week!

[Islamicelt]

one thing I have learned from hair stylists is to wash your hair in the coldest water that you can stand. Hot water frizzes out your hair. I usually wash my hair every 2-3 days (depending when it starts to look greasy) and, even though I haaatteeeeeee anything less than steamy shower water, I am going to try to start washing it with colder water.

[Duellist]

one thing I have learned from hair stylists is to wash your hair in the coldest water that you can stand.

When I shower, a rare treat because we only have a bath at home, I like it nice and warm, but do the final rinse with the water turned down as far as I can get it before I flinch. It wakes you up, gets the blood flowing and (contrary to popular opinion) wakes up the libido. Apparently the technique is known is some places as the James Bond Shower.

[Kima]

SInce I give private lessons to students at several companies, after 5 days I felt I had to do something about my hair. I was afraid that baking soda would be too harsh so I used one egg yolk with a spoonful of yogurt and a few drops of cinnamon essential oil (it smells like Christmas ). It worked really well and my hair isn't as dry as it used to be. I'll try to wait increasingly longer between washes but it's good to have something to fall back on. Still, though it was greasy, my hair wasn't as disgusting as I had expected.

I did some web research and here are my two favourite links:
http://noshampoo.org/2009/11/17/the-def ... noshampoo/
http://thehairpin.com/2011/04/how-to-qu ... disgusting

There's a video, too: http://www.thelovevitamin.com/688/shoul ... you-think/

[Kima]

SInce I give private lessons to students at several companies, after 5 days I felt I had to do something about my hair. I was afraid that baking soda would be too harsh so I used one egg yolk with a spoonful of yogurt and a few drops of cinnamon essential oil (it smells like Christmas ). It worked really well and my hair isn't as dry as it used to be.

It's been over five weeks since I went "no poo"; I use this recipe every five days and it's definitely getting better. I still haven't told my boyfriend about the experiment but while he said "your hair is greasy" a couple of times at the start when we went on holiday together, yesterday he remarked that I smell of cinnamon

My hair used to get greasy on the day after I washed it. I used shampoo every other day and was starting to wonder if I should do it every day. It took some time but now my hair looks ok even three days after washing - the fourth shampoo-free day is still a bit of a stretch. I washed my hair on Sunday morning and today (Thursday) I went to work on the last day before washing. I felt slightly self-conscious but it didn't even look that bad and chances are it will get even better with time. I wouldn't mind washing my hair once a week in the future, especially since I'm completely off traditional shampoo.

One strange thing: is it possible that it's now growing faster than before?

[Dendrias]

If You can stand another update from me ...

I've been abstaining from shampoo for two longer periods (just rinsing and combing), by now, using the cold-turkey-method. It worked. Both times. My wife still doesn't say that my hair looks greasy, although I've asked her to tell me truthfully. She still likes to touch my hair - so, no probs on that!
And I feel fine with it and can recommend it: it's taking weight from your travel luggage, saves some pennies on shampoo.
But, alas, still my hair feels quite thick and will stand from my head the way it wants, no chance to persuade it in the morning.

What's next? Since my cutback on deodorant (cold-turkey, no side-effects (asked my wife)), I thought about shower gel.